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PRICE — A Helper man recently admitted to sexually abusing a girl on the high school golf team he coached.
Kenneth George Otani, 55, pleaded guilty on Feb. 13 to forcible sodomy and forcible sexual abuse, both second-degree felonies. As part of a plea deal, a charge of object rape, a first-degree felony, was dismissed.
According to charging documents, Otani sexually assaulted a 16-year-old girl on his Carbon High School golf team over several years beginning in July 2018. The girl estimated she was abused at least 100 times, including when meeting Otani at his home for private golf lessons.
The charges were filed on May 31, 2022 after the girl told her mother about the abuse in April 2022.
Seventh District Court Judge Jeremiah Humes ordered Otani to stand trial on Nov. 2, 2022, after he waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Otani is scheduled to be sentenced on April 11.
